


Lies and a Heroic Deed: The Tale of a Young Fisherman's Curiosity

by GhostieWrites



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst, Folktale AU, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-21 16:58:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16580423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostieWrites/pseuds/GhostieWrites
Summary: Ouma Kokichi, a young fisher lad, saves the life of a tortoise, and is rewarded with a miraculous journey to an underwater city. Many exciting encounters await - but will he choose to stay or leave? [NDRV3-inspired take on the classic Japanese folktale "Urashima-Taro"]





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written as a collab with my bro Kokichi | Seven over on the Danganronpa amino - it was an entry for the FAM Challenge and ended up winning first place. It is a NDRv3-inspired take on the classic Japanese folktale "Urashima-Taro." Please check out the full story with Seven's illustrations over on DRA (they are amazing and really help bring the story to life!). Enjoy! ~Ghostie

Long, long ago there lived a young fisherman on an island surrounded for many miles by a deep blue ocean. The fisherman’s name was Ouma Kokichi – and while he was still merely a teenager, he was especially adept at catching fish. One might even say that he was the best fisherman on the island.

Well – he _would_ have earned that title, if it weren’t for one fact: Ouma was more widely considered the _worst_ fisherman on the island.

How? Well, while he did catch the most fish, that became null and void when he inevitably let them go. Yes, every fish he caught was thrown back into the ocean.

“Awww, aren’t you an adorable little bonito~” The purple-haired boy cooed as he reeled in a rather large striped fish, observing it briefly before unhooking it and letting it flop back into the ocean.

“Mmmm~” he set the fishing rod down and stretched his arms back behind his head. “Talk about a great day – I think I hit a record!” he exclaimed, groans sounding from others on the boat.

You see, Kokichi wasn’t exactly well liked by the other fishermen. This wasn’t only because he didn’t exactly do his job right – no, in addition to that, he loved to play pranks on them nearly every day.

However, Kokichi knew his limits. He could read the air easily, and therefore knew when to keep his jokes to himself. After all, if he acted up TOO much, he wouldn’t have the opportunity to join the other fishermen out on the ocean.

His job wasn’t to fish, per-se, but to help the other fishermen with tasks on the boat when they sailed out to sea. Fishing was a perk in his down-time that was the whole reason Kokichi wanted the job – he got to be out on the ocean, play pranks AND have fun!

 

* * *

 

Later that day, Kokichi was walking home along the beach when he saw a small group of children making quite a bit of noise. Wondering what the commotion was about, Kokichi wandered over to see – and what he saw surprised him.

The children were toying with a tortoise – the poor creature being prodded with sticks, tugged on and having tiny rocks tossed at it. As someone who knew his limit, those who didn’t know theirs frustrated Kokichi.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, “What exactly do you think you’re doing to that tortoise?”

The children didn’t stop their pestering, though one of them did look up at him, “Playing with it, duh~”

“And what exactly is your definition of playing, huh? Because it looks more like you’re torturing it,” Kokichi said. “If you keep that up, you’ll all be tortoise murderers.”

The kids didn’t seem phased by that, continuing to torment the poor creature. This frustrated Kokichi more, though he didn’t show it. Instead, he had a look of boredom on his face.

“Woooow, kids today really don’t know how to have fun…,” he said, voice dripping with disappointment. This got their attention, as they turned their eyes on him. “You heard me- if you guys want to know, I could tell you something waaay better! But, y’know, you’d have to hand over the tortoise first~”

With a few glances at each other, the kids soon decided that they had grown tired of messing with the tortoise – if this guy had a better idea, they were all for it. The oldest of the bunch spoke up, “Okay, fine. You can have it if you tell us what you’re talking about.”

Kokichi grinned – the sort of sassy grin one would get when they knew they had won. He held up a small pouch, “See this? It’s full of stones.” The kids all had looks that they were definitely about to change their mind. “Hey, don’t lose me just yet. These aren’t just regular stones – they’re offerings! If you skip these guys down at the river basin riiiight when the sun crests the horizon, you can make any wish and it’ll come true.”

A few of the kids had curious looks of wonder, while the oldest still seemed skeptical, “That sounds fake.” He said.

“I swear – there is a catch, though. You have to get a stone to skip exactly 7 times. Do that, and your wish will come true!” he said, holding the pouch out.

The oldest seemed to consider his options, before deciding it was boring playing with the tortoise now anyway. Might as well get the chance to have a wish come true. He grabbed the pouch, “Fine! You can have this turtle. C’mon, guys!” He then ran off with the others in tow.

“You’re welcome~!” Kokichi called out, waving before putting his hands on his knees, looking at the tortoise before him. “They won’t mess with you anymore. You’re way older than them and me, huh? Don’t worry, I’ll help get you back home!”

As he spoke, Kokichi brought the tortoise back to the ocean, before placing it into the water and watching the animal submerge until it was out of sight.

 

* * *

 

The next day Kokichi was once again out with the other fishermen. Since he had finished his tasks for the morning, he was lounging away from the others, fishing rod in hand while he enjoyed the warmth of the sun and light breeze that made his hair tickle his face whenever it brushed across it.

He laughed to himself, thinking about the kids he had fooled with a pouch of regular stones. Of course, the boy had no ill intentions with his lie. He knew that they would all take turns skipping rocks and compete against each other to see who could hit the goal first. At the end of the day, he had given them something fun and challenging to do!

He was suddenly awoken from his thoughts by an unfamiliar voice calling his name.

“Ouma-kun, Ouma-kun!”

The sound was clear, however unlike any of the other men’s voices on the boat. The boy turned his head to and fro, not seeing any of the other fishermen paying him any attention. Where was it coming from?

“Ouma-kun, down here!” The voice called again, prompting the boy to look over the side of the boat – and being surprised to find a tortoise there. The very same tortoise he saved the day before!

“Mr. Tortoise,” Kokichi said, violet eyes gazing inquisitively at the creature, “Am I dreaming, or did you just call my name?”

The tortoise nodded its head before opening its mouth and replying, “Yes, it was I. Yesterday you stepped forward and saved me when my life was in danger, so now I have returned to offer you thanks and show how grateful I am for your kindness.”

The teenager was surprised, yet also honored that the tortoise would do such a thing. After all, he was not used to others thanking him. He turned his head to look back at the other fishermen, however they were all immersed in their own conversations.

“I would invite you onto the boat, but it isn’t mine. I don’t think the other fishermen would like that,” he said, reeling his fishing rod in and placing it down so he could give the other his full attention. This was turning into an interesting day, for sure!

“That is alright, I understand. I actually have a request for you – an offer, if you are interested. To repay the kindness you showed me,” the tortoise said, it’s calm eyes looking at the fisher lad.

“An offer? Like what?” Kokichi asked, not knowing what a tortoise could do for him.

“Have you ever seen Rin Gin, the Palace of the King of the Sea, Ouma-kun?”

Kokichi had certainly heard of such a realm, but never would he have thought of setting eyes on the underwater palace. He shook his head, “I’ve heard stories of it, but there’s no way I could ever see it myself. I’m just a human, and if it does exist, it has to be super far away from here!”

The tortoise shook his head, “It is sad that you have not set eyes on it, for it is one of the most beautiful sights the universe has to offer! The Sea King’s Palace is far away at the bottom of the sea, but if I take you there it will not be long before we arrive.”

At that, Kokichi’s eyes widened a little, “That sounds awesome and all, but I can’t swim that far, plus there’s no way I could be underwater that long without-“

Before Kokichi could finish his sentence, the tortoise interrupted, “You do not need to worry about that – if you ride on my back, I will take you there safely.”

“But…” Kokichi said after a moment, looking down at the small tortoise, “You don’t have a very big back, how am I supposed to ride on it?”

“Do not be deceived, I may seem small to you, but give it a try and you will see that it is very possible.”

After the tortoise finished speaking, Kokichi lifted his eyes to the shell before widening them as he saw that the tortoise had grown in size – now he would have no problem sitting on it’s back.

“Whoa…” He exclaimed, never having seen such a thing and wondering just what this tortoise was. There was no way he was passing up the opportunity to discover what else was in store. With one last look over at the others, Kokichi hopped out of the boat and onto the tortoise’s back.

The tortoise wasn’t fazed at all, almost as if this had happened once before. “Now we will head to the palace.” He said before diving down into the ocean. Kokichi closed his eyes at first, trying to hold onto the tortoise’s shell – but despite the fact that they had submerged, he remained dry – almost as if an aura of air surrounded him, protecting him from the water.

Once he realized he was safe in the water, he laughed and sat more comfortably on the tortoise’s back – he didn’t even need to hang on. A magical force was keeping him there as the tortoise dived deeper into the ocean.

 

* * *

 

They passed by schools of fish – types that Kokichi had caught, and others that he had never before laid eyes on. It was mesmerizing to see the various sea creatures in their natural habitat.

Kokichi wasn’t sure how much time had passed, however eventually a magnificent gate appeared before them. Behind the gate, an ornate palace could be seen.

“Wowie…!” His violet eyes were wide with wonder as they gazed upon the looming building, before he tried to mask his excitement a little, “That building could definitely be bigger.”

“You are the first human I know to have thought that. What you see before you is the great gate of the Rin Gin Palace; the building behind the gate is the Sea King’s Palace.” The tortoise said as it soon landed on the sand at the foot of the gate. “You can walk safely on your own now.”

Kokichi was in awe at such sights, almost missing the tortoise informing him that he could get off and walk from this point forward. “Oh- right!” he said, before hopping off of the tortoise and landing softly in the sand below.

Before the tortoise could move, the boy bolted towards the front of the gate, his excitement propelling him forward – that was, until a giant spear crossed his path. “W-woah!” he skidded to as abrupt a stop as one could have in the water, arms waving in the water as he tried to catch his balance.

A pair of deep red eyes met his, seeming to glare into the boy’s soul as he heard a very curt voice ask, “Do you wanna die?”

Kokichi put his hands up in front of him, frozen to his spot as he saw she was just a girl – albeit a very intimidating one.

Before he could say anything, the tortoise appeared on the side of Kokichi, “There is no need for that, Harukawa-san. This is Ouma Kokichi, from the country of Japan. I am honored to have brought him as a visitor to the kingdom. Please show him the way to the palace.”

  
The girl turned her gaze from the tortoise, back to Kokichi. Her eyes still had an intense look, like if he made one false move she would end him. He realized this girl must be a member of the royal guard for the kingdom. Even if she didn’t look that strong appearance-wise, her personality was another story entirely – his heart was still beating quickly from the close-call.

“Woah…no way!” A voice called out from behind the gate. Kokichi tilted his head a little so he could look behind the guard, seeing a purple-haired teenager holding onto the bars of the gate. His eyes were lit up brightly, almost like a puppy who was expecting it’s owner to throw a stick. “Maki Roll, is that what I think it is??”

Kokichi wasn’t sure why the newcomer was bringing up a sushi roll at a time like this – that was, until he noticed the girl’s face change slightly when she heard it.

She turned to him, finally bringing the spear away from blocking Kokichi’s path, “Momota-san, what did I say about calling me that?” she asked, voice clearly annoyed as she lead Kokichi and the tortoise to the gate, before opening it for them.

Momota didn’t seem fazed, however, eyes fixing on Kokichi now that Harukawa had cleared his path and opened the gate. “Oh my god…you ARE from the surface…!” he exclaimed loudly, excitement clear in his tone.

As soon as Kokichi had passed the gate into the kingdom, the taller boy moved in front of him, looking at his clothes and hair and scarf-

_“ **Momota-san.”**_

Harukawa’s strict voice made Momota take a step back, closing his eyes and scratching the back of his head, “Haha – sorry about that, Maki Roll. It’s not every day we get a visitor from the surface, and you know how much I love-“

“Yeah, well, he isn’t here for you to obsess over,” Harukawa stated, her eyes narrowed as she gripped the spear, glancing to the side. Kokichi wondered for a moment just how many poor souls had met an unfortunate fate at the hands of this girl. “He’s a guest to the palace.”

“Aldabra!” A new voice was suddenly heard as a red-haired girl wandered over to the small group. “You’re back…sorry I’m late.”

“Himiko- it’s alright. This here is Ouma Kokichi, the human who saved my life,” the tortoise replied to it’s master.

While her expression didn’t change all that much, Kokichi could see in her eyes that she was both relieved and grateful. “Nyeh, thank you, Ouma-san…without your help, I would have lost someone who means a lot to me. Please follow me, I will show you to the palace.”

With that, the young mage and fisherman said their goodbyes to Harukawa and Momota. Kokichi had never been to such a large kingdom or palace before – therefore, he did not know the proper way to act. He merely followed behind the young mage and her familiar as they lead him towards the magnificent palace.

 

* * *

 

They passed by many others who looked curiously over towards the unfamiliar boy. He could hear whispers, but was unsure of whether what they were saying was good or bad.

He noticed a statue made of what looked like pearl, the shiny white surface luminated colorfully by rays of light that somehow were able to reach the bottom of the ocean. It appeared to be of a male in a relaxed, yet fearless pose – there was an inscription in a golden plate below, though it was too far away for Kokichi to read. He opened his mouth to ask who the person was, but was cut off when they arrived at the palace door.

“Here we are,” the mage said, using her magic to open the door. Kokichi watched as the giant doors slowly moved open.

As soon as they walked in, Kokichi noticed a shell-adorned carpet leading up to two thrones raised up at the end of the massive room.

On the left sat the Sea King – his flowing raven colored hair resting gently against the silky robes he wore, hands clasped on his knee. His piercing yellow eyes were squinting slightly as he watched the three enter the throne room. It was almost as if he were observing Kokichi’s every move.

On the right sat the Sea Queen – her cerulean hair curling at the bottom as she rested her head on her chin, and a friendly smile on her lips as her teal colored eyes followed the two to their spot in front of their thrones. A maid stood nearby in case they were in need of anything.

“Yumeno-san, Aldabra, it is always a pleasure to see you both,” the queen said, her voice soft and rather welcoming. She sat up a little straighter as she turned her attention to Kokichi. “And this must be Aldabra’s savior!”

“Nyeh, yes, my queen,” Himiko replied, bowing her head. “This is Ouma Kokichi, from the country of Japan.”

Kokichi wasn’t quite sure what to do, so put an arm behind him and bowed as courteously as he could, “Thank you for inviting me to your kingdom. It really is something!”

The queen laughed quietly, “The pleasure is all ours. I am Queen Tsumugi, and this is King Korekiyo.” She gestured to the male sitting in the throne beside her – he was still observing Kokichi with his sharp yellow eyes.

Kokichi squirmed slightly under the other’s intense stare, not quite sure what to do next. Luckily, that wasn’t a problem for long since the king opened his mouth to speak.

“Ouma…Kokichi…” The king’s wistful tone had almost a creepy vibe to it as the syllables of the fisherman’s name rolled off his tongue. “Yes…a beautiful name, fit for an…intriguing human being, such as yourself.”

Kokichi really wasn’t sure what to think about that. He had certainly never had anyone compliment his name, and…was being intriguing a compliment? “Uh…thanks, I think. You have nice names too, and an even nicer palace! This place is crazier than any place I’ve ever been before!”

“Human beings have…different definitions of the term crazy, yes?” The king replied, leaning forward in his seat. His voice hitched a little when he continued, showing more interest, “In my studies I found the term used to describe unusual or bizarre situations…senseless or impractical actions…passionate excitement…and of course, it is also a term used…to describe those considered mentally insane.” He tilted his head slightly, “What definition do you intend to portray?”

The young fisherman was surprised by the king’s sudden interest in his language. There was definitely something…odd about him, but he seemed genuinely interested. “I just meant it’s crazy cool – y’know, really awesome,” Kokichi replied.

“Kehehe…’awesome’ – now there’s a definition I had not considered. What intelligence you have, Ouma Kokichi…,” Korekiyo trailed off before standing up. “This calls for a feast…!” He declared, holding his arms out as he gazed down on him. “We shall throw a feast to celebrate this human being’s act of kindness towards a friend!”

Queen Tsumugi clasped her hands together, “That is a great idea! Tojo-san, please fetch the prince and princess.”

The maid nodded, “Right away, my queen,” before leaving the room.

The queen turned back to look at the three before her, “Prince Shuichi and Princess Kaede will show you around the kingdom while we get the feast prepared.”

Kokichi’s stomach rumbled at the thought of a feast – after all, he hadn’t eaten since morning and hours had passed on the boat before traveling here. He had never thought he would be in such a place, having a feast thrown in his honor and getting the chance to explore an underwater kingdom with a prince and princess.

 

* * *

 

“This kingdom really isn’t all that great,” Kokichi said with a hint of disappointment in his tone. The purple-haired fisherman was now walking with his arms bent behind his head, the Sea Prince and Sea Princess alongside him.

“Wh-what?” Shuichi, the dark-haired prince replied in surprise, not expecting such a lackluster reaction from the human after showing him one of the most treasured coral gardens in the kingdom.

Kaede, the blonde-haired princess, also had a look of slight confusion on her face, though she remained smiling. “Our kingdom has so many amazing sights to offer – and if sights aren’t something you enjoy, the sounds are really wonderful. We have an orchestra hall with lots of instruments, including ones similar to those you play on the surface. I, for one, love playing the piano.”

“Music isn’t really my thing, either,” he said, turning so he was walking backwards while looking at the two royals. For a prince and princess, these two were pretty boring. It was like they were giving him a guided tour in a museum, not of a magnificent underwater kingdom.

“Oh…” Kaede seemed a little irked by that – she must really love her music.

The prince noticed this and intervened, “Then what do you like to do for fun, Ouma-kun?” he asked, wanting to get them away from that topic and onto another.

Kokichi grinned playfully at the prince, “You might be the Sea Prince, Shuichi, but I’M the prince of pranks!” he laughed, spinning back around to face forwards as they continued their path through the kingdom.

Shuichi felt a blush rise to his cheeks at the other’s tone. His carefree attitude was very different from many of the subjects in the kingdom. Of course, not everyone…however, that person was carefree in a different kind of way. “Prince of…pranks?”

“Yep! Where I come from I’m known as the trickster who lies and plays pranks for fun!” The smile was clear in his tone, “And I just tricked you both!”

“H-huh?!” They both widened their eyes, Kaede moving in front of him, “Tricked us? How?” She asked, always more forward than the prince.

Kokichi stopped, moving his arms down from behind his head and placing them behind his back. “Nee-heehee, I tricked you into thinking I find this place boring!”

The two royals stared back at him, dumbfounded. “W-wait…so you don’t think the kingdom is boring?” Shuichi asked.

“Of course not! Have you even seen the surface? It’s nothing compared to how great things are down here!” Kokichi replied, holding his arms out and spinning once around, watching the bubbles float up from his movements.

The prince and princess both exchanged looks. Ouma Kokichi was definitely a character.

“…Well, we’re both glad to hear you like it here, Ouma-kun,” Kaede smiled. “You’re a good person if you went out of your way to help Aldabra – our entire kingdom is grateful.”

Shuichi nodded, “Yeah, it’s been a while since a human has joined us.”

That statement made Kokichi curious as to what other human could have gone there, however before he could ask, he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Ouma, hey!”

Kokichi turned to looked towards the origin of the voice, spotting the purple-haired male who was by the gate earlier.

“Oh, you’re that guy who’s obsessed with me,” Kokichi replied, looking around and almost expecting the guard girl to appear out of nowhere.

“Who’re you calling obsessed with you??” Momota exclaimed, “I’m not obsessed with you. I’m Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Surface!” His voice had a boisterous energy that encapsulated some inner passion Kokichi couldn’t understand.

“Luminary of the huh?” Kokichi repeated, raising an eyebrow.

Kaede laughed slightly, “Kaito here has dreamed of going to the surface world since he was a baby. He hasn’t yet, but he likes to collect things that come from there.”

Kokichi took a step back.

“H-hey, I don’t collect people! I’m just fascinated with everything the surface world has to offer,” Kaito replied, holding onto his shirt triumphantly. “One day I’m going to see it for myself!” He put a fist to his chest, smiling as he looked up.

Kokichi followed his gaze, wondering for a moment how the other fishermen were doing up on the boat – however far away they were. That was when he got an idea.

“Hey, Kaito, how much do you know about the surface, anyway?” He asked. For someone who was that interested, Kokichi wondered just how much he knew.

“Pfft, how much do I know? I’ve studied every book ever written on it, and collect a bunch of artifacts too! You should see my collection sometime - maybe you could offer more insight,” he suggested, stars in his eyes.

“Maybe offer insight? Nee-heehee, I can do more than that! After all, I’ve lived there all my life!” Kokichi grinned. “I can even give you some tips now, so you know what to do when you have the chance to visit!”

“Really?? Tell me everything you can!” Kaito replied, excited to learn more from the young fisherman.

The prince and princess thought it was kind of Kokichi to offer advice to Kaito, though neither of them realized his true intentions.

“If you ever get the chance to visit my island, the first thing you’ll see is the beautiful beach surrounding our village!” Kokichi said, spreading his arms out before holding them in front of him excitedly.

Kaito nodded, urging the other to continue. He had heard of beaches before – places humans went to relax and play in the water.

Kokichi gladly continued, “Tourists love visiting, especially because the beach is sprinkled with tan candy all over – it’s kinda grainy, but tastes amazing!”

“Candy on the beach? I’ve never heard of that before…” Kaito said, scratching his head a little and seemingly consulting the prior information he had gathered to try and recall such a thing.

“Well, duh~ Of course not! It’s my village’s specialty! Only visitors from there know about it. If you ever visit, the first thing you need to do is try it!”

Prince Shuichi could sense something wrong with what the boy was saying – he was acting awfully excited, and his tone had changed to be much more playful than serious. Almost like…

“…Ouma-kun, are you playing another prank?” He spoke up, interrupting the other who had begun offering advice on how to greet people on the island.

Kokichi stopped, looking away from the enthusiastic male and toward the uncertain prince. “Hm?”

Kaede looked over at her brother, seeing that he had that look on his face. The same look he got when he tried to solve a mystery that cropped up.

Kaito faced Shuichi as well, disappointed that he had interrupted the other when he was giving him valuable information. “What’re you talking about?”

Shuichi kept his golden eyes trained on Kokichi’s violet ones, trying to search them for the answer he was seeking. He didn’t want to upset Kaito, though, so he turned slightly away and leaned closer so only Kokichi could hear, “This information you’re telling Kaito…is it really true?”

A flash of surprise crossed the boy’s features – his words and the fact that the prince had leaned in close momentarily distracting him. This was short-lived, however, as he suddenly laughed and leaned back, “Aww man, you got me!”

“Got you? Whaddaya mean by that?” Kaito said, looking from the prince before back at Kokichi. He seemed a little frustrated that Shuichi had kept something from him. After all, they were both good friends.

However, before anyone could reply, a sound of horns erupted throughout the kingdom.

“Oh, the feast is about to begin! We have to get you back to the palace, Ouma-kun,” Princess Kaede said, ushering the three of them along the path they were on. She was very skilled at keeping everyone together – and being on time. She could also sense tension between Kaito and Shuichi and wanted to diffuse it as best as she could.

Shuichi trailed a little behind the others as his sister worked her magic to cheer Kaito up, while making sure Kokichi was entertained as well. He had lied to Kaito…or as he would call it, a ‘prank.’ It made the prince a little uneasy, though something about the other made him feel like he had no ill-intentions with his lie.

There was certainly something different about this human – and whatever that might be only made the prince all the more curious to learn more about him.

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's part one - thanks for reading! Part 2 delves into more of the other V3 characters, so look forward to that! Please let me know your thoughts, and remember that you can find the full version with illustrations over on the Danganronpa Amino. ~Ghostie


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ouma Kokichi, a young fisher lad, celebrates a feast thrown in his honor down in the Sea King's palace. While he meets many new friends and has an enjoyable time, he must make the decision to stay or return home. Discover Ouma's decision, and a fate sealed by one's own curiosity, in the final part of Lies and a Heroic Deed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Ghostie here, with the final part of the FAM Challenge collaboration I worked on with my bro Kokichi | Seven. Check out our story over on the Danganronpa amino to view my bro's amazing illustrations as well! Enjoy and thank you for reading! ~Ghostie

“A toast – to Ouma Kokichi…the human being we are honoring today for his heroic act…of saving Aldabra, a dear friend, from harm,” King Korekiyo stated, arms raised as he gazed around at the many faces of the room before lastly on Kokichi. “It has been some time now since we last held…a celebratory feast, such as this one.” His yellow eyes searched the guests at the table, before spotting someone standing off to the side, drink in hand and looking elsewhere.

“Human beings are fascinating creatures…it is always a pleasure when one is offered the opportunity to lay eyes on our…miraculous kingdom,” the king moved his gaze to settle on Kokichi once again. “Kehehe…we hope you enjoy every moment you spend with us here, Ouma-san.” A sly grin appeared on his lips before he held up his drink, “To our kingdom’s latest hero…!” 

The guests cheered and held up their drinks as well, toasting the newcomer. The young fisherman had a grin on his face that could have brightened any room – for he had never before been praised in such a way. He glanced around the room, spotting those he had grown familiar with, as well as new faces he hadn’t seen before. They were all cheering for him!

That was…until his eyes met those of a green-haired male standing off to the side. Kokichi was almost taken aback by the intense feeling he felt when he locked eyes with the other. Instead of a cheery face like the others at the feast had, the male’s eyes were slightly narrowed, and his mouth shut in a tight line.

Almost as soon as he saw it, the other changed his expression. His green eyes softened, and the edges of his lips curled up in a friendly smile, holding the glass up and nodding his head at Kokichi in silent congratulation. The smile on his features felt familiar to Kokichi, though he couldn’t pinpoint why.

Before he could react, he felt someone nudge him, so he turned his attention back to those around the table, realizing he had missed the king’s announcement that it was time to dine.

He bowed his head slightly, smiling at the king and queen. “Thank you for having me here. This all looks super delicious,” he said, eyeing the various seafood dishes arranged on the table. There were marinated fish, seaweed salad, fried crab, fish cakes…the assortment was plenty.

And so, the feast began – Kokichi and the others ate and drank heartily – sake for most, though Kokichi preferred the carbonated beverage they had as an alternative. The attendees then took turns visiting the guest of honor.

Kaede and Shuichi introduced him to Angie, the palace’s artist and interior designer, Gonta, the kingdom’s resident marine life caretaker and Kirumi, the palace’s treasured handmaiden who prepared the feast’s dishes. Kaede walked off to see if she could find anyone else who wanted to meet Kokichi, offering Kaito the perfect opportunity to swoop in to try and get more information out of him.

“With this being a whole celebration for you, I’d say it’s all the more reason for you to share more about the surface, Ouma!” The purple-haired male exclaimed, drink in hand as he grinned at him.

Shuichi shook his head with a slight smile, not really wanting to go into that again. “I don’t think he wants to be put on the spot to share information, Kaito,” he said.

“Oh, I don’t mind at all!” Kokichi replied, taking a sip of his carbonated beverage; he didn’t quite understand how they could have drinks underwater – but then again, he didn’t understand how he could be there at all, so didn’t question it. “I think I was telling you the right way to greet humans, right?”

Kaito nodded, “Yep! You said guys should be greeted with a slap on their back – the harder the slap, the stronger the greeting!”

“Nee-heehee, that’s right! But it’s different for ladies – when you greet them, you want to whistle like this,” Kokichi brought his hands up to his mouth and stuck his middle and index fingers in before whistling quietly twice. “Only louder!”

“Really?” Kaito questioned, before trying to mimic what Kokichi had done. He brought his fingers up to his mouth and gave it a try, blowing out a low whistle.

“Yeah, just like that! Only louder – and then…” Kokichi glanced to the sides before leaning in closer to Kaito and whispering something into his ear.

Shuichi was effectively blocked from hearing what the other said next – feeling a tiny pain in his chest at being left out. Of course, this must have been how Kaito had felt earlier. Just watching Kokichi’s body language, he could once again sense that he was ‘pranking’ Kaito. It didn’t make him feel too good…especially when Kaito was so excited to learn more about the surface world.

“Got it?” Kokichi asked, leaning back from whispering to Kaito.

The other nodded, “Yeah, of course! That’s easy.” He replied back, clearly oblivious to the fact that Kokichi was trolling him – the sake he was drinking not helping.

“Good! Why don’t you practice on the next girl you see?” Kokichi offered, “They won’t get it here, but it’s worth a try!”

“Oh, yeah, that’s a great idea! Then I’ll be ready to go when I get to the surface! Good thinking!”

Kaede was returning, bringing with her another new face – a long-haired blonde who seemed red in the face and a little clingy to the princess as she laughed loudly.

Kokichi nudged Kaito, “Now’s your chance!”

Kaito nodded with purpose before bringing his fingers to his lips and whistling loudly.

Both Kaede and the newcomer looked at Kaito – including quite a few other guests at the party.

He had a confident look on his face as he bent an arm close to his chest, sticking the other straight up to the side and dipping his head low.

Kokichi couldn’t help bursting out laughing then and there, the two surprised girls following soon after at the silly move Kaito had just made. Such a gesture was foreign to the underwater beings, and while they didn’t know what it meant, it certainly looked funny.

Kaito picked up his head slightly, hearing the trio’s laughter, “What?? Did I do it wrong?” He asked Kokichi, who was covering his mouth to try and calm down his laughter.

“Nee-heeheehee, nope, you dabbed perfectly!” he exclaimed.

“Dabbed?” Kaede repeated, a smile still on her face while the red-faced blonde-haired girl was still trying to quell her laughter. “What is the purpose of such a gesture?”

“That’s how they greet ladies up on the surface,” Kaito explained. “That’s what Ouma said.”

“It looked more like you sucked down drinks harder than—” The newcomer started to say before Kaede covered her mouth.

“Miu-san! Please no vulgar language at this feast,” she urged, blushing slightly imagining the direction that had been going. Prince Shuichi also had a faint blush on his cheeks, though instead of focusing on Miu’s near comment, he was more concerned for Kaito and another one of Kokichi’s lies.

Kokichi could see from the look on Shuichi’s face that he didn’t like the trick he had pulled – remembering his words from earlier, the purple-haired liar spoke up, “Okay, okay, so I might have pulled a tiiiiiiny prank.”

“Prank?” Kaito questioned, having no idea he had been tricked not once, but a few mes already.

“Yeah…heehee,” Kokichi laughed slightly, a sly little grin on his face. “I miiiight have been lying about the things I told you about the surface. But it was pretty fun to see everyone’s reaction, don’tcha think?”

Kaito was clearly shocked and disappointed that all of the information he had so readily believed could have been wrong. “You’ve gotta be kidding...”

“Nee-heehee, well, I was kidding when I told you all those things. No hard feelings, though, this is a party!” he said, raising his cup and clinking Kaito’s.

Momota still seemed a little disappointed, before realizing that even if he joked around with him, he was still from the surface – in a way, just by talking with him, he had learned something about humans. “You’re right. No hard feelings, so long as you tell me some truthful things along with the pranks!” he said, clinking his cup back.

“You’ve got a deal!” Kokichi grinned, taking a sip of his carbonated beverage and saying quieter, “No guarantee you’ll know which is which, though, nee-heehee~ SO!” He suddenly spoke up, turning to the drunken blonde standing with Kaede, “Sorry for all that, who’re you?”

“What!? Ya mean you’ve been here all this time and no one’s told ya who I am?? I’m Iruma Miu, the gorgeous girl genius whose badass inventions keep this kingdom runnin’!” The blonde-haired girl spoke with a big grin on her face.

“Miu-san has invented many necessities for the kingdom, making our lives a lot easier,” Kaede chimed in, hoping her friend could hold her tongue.

“Yep- these guys’ve got a LOT to thank me for! But in the end, you’ve gotta be human to get somethin’ hard erected in your honor here!” Miu said, pointing her finger back towards another spot in the room before laughing once again.

“Miu-san…” Kaede said, trying to turn her down from saying anything more.

The innuendo didn’t pass over Kokichi’s head, though his attention was turned elsewhere when his eyes followed where she was pointing and noticed that it was at the green-haired boy from earlier.

Something clicked in his head as he made the connection for why he had looked familiar – the statue in the courtyard was of him!

“Wait – that guy over there is a human too?” Kokichi suddenly asked, surprised that another human was there and having a bunch of questions appear in his mind.

“Yeah! He’s Amami Rantaro, savior of the ocean!” Kaito replied quickly, also looking over at the other. “It’s pretty hard to miss that statue of him in the center of the kingdom.”

Shuichi seemed to sense Kokichi’s sudden curiosity and decided it would be best dealt with one-on-one. He opened his mouth to speak, “Ouma-kun, I’m sure you have a lot of questions…I would be happy to answer them for you. Shall we go somewhere quieter?” he suggested, as the lively party was making it harder to hear unless one spoke loudly.

“Sure! Let’s go!” Kokichi replied, wanting his questions answered right away. He took hold of Shuichi’s wrist and pulled him away from the others, who were already getting into another conversation about Miu suggesting a toast to herself.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

“Woah, you guys really worship him, huh?” Kokichi said after Shuichi brought him to an area of the palace where there were various portraits of Amami and his many adventures. Shuichi had just finished giving a brief synopsis of Amami’s travels and how an act he made on the surface saved many marine communities.

“Yes…” Shuichi replied, “He was the first human to show us there is a good side to humanity.”

Kokichi tilted his head, turning away from the paintings to look at the prince, “A good side? Did you used to hate us, or something?”

Shuichi brought a hand up to his face, scratching his nose, “Uh…well, we weren’t exactly on good terms with your kind.”

“Why’s that?” he asked, before pausing. “Actually – you don’t have to answer that. I hate a lot of my kind too,” he said, laughing a little as he looked back at the portraits. “Humans can be absolute scum. Our world’s full of deception, betrayal, hatred and downright stupidity.”

Shuichi turned his golden-grey eyes to the other, sensing something deeper beneath the smile on his face. After all, it didn’t match up with the words he was saying. He wasn’t sure what to respond back. It would feel strange to agree with a human who hates his own kind.

Kokichi bent his arms back behind his head, turning with a flourish to face Shuichi, “Here’s another question for you, prince charming! How do you feel about me?”

“H-huh??” Shuichi started, a blush appearing on his cheeks at the sudden question and nickname. “Wh…what do you mean..?”

“I mean just that! How do *you*-“ he nodded his head towards the prince, “-feel about *me*?” he grinned, lowering his arms to point at himself. “You know, since I’m human and all!”

Since he’s…human? “O-oh…” Shuichi said after a moment, finally realizing the intent of his question. “You’re asking…if I see you in a negative light…because of your species.”

The purple-haired boy nodded, “Of course~ What, did you think I was asking for, a love confession or something? Nee-heehee, I’ve only known you for a day!” He teased.

Shuichi’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink at his assumption, “N-no, of course not..!” he retorted, before picking up on the playful way the other was teasing him. Was he…messing with him?

“Good! I’m not sure how relationships work down here, so for all I know you could propose as quickly as in a fairytale,” he said, turning to face the paintings again. “Well? I’m still waiting for your answer!”

The prince had never before conversed with someone so…confusing. It almost seemed like the human had wanted to get him flustered…and, while that seemed like something nefarious to do, it didn’t unnerve Shuichi. Instead…it intrigued him.

“…I don’t view you negatively, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi replied after a moment of trying to collect his thoughts. “While my kind has viewed humans adversely in the past, we have seen with the help of Amami-san that goodness does exist within your species.”

Kokichi listened to Shuichi’s response. While he had been flustered moments before, the prince now spoke with conviction.

“Furthermore, your act of saving Aldabra proved that you have the soul of a hero,” he continued. “You may not have sacrificed as much as Amami-san did in his travels, however all heroic acts should be recognized.”

The soul of a hero…that was something Kokichi had never before heard directed towards himself. “You guys really have a nice kingdom, and way of thinking,” he replied, looking at the portraits. “Up there it seems like the only news that travels fast is bad news. If people celebrated more good things, maybe it would be a happier place.”

Shuichi smiled slightly at his kind words. For once, what the boy said sounded genuine. “Thank you, Ouma-kun. We strive for that type of society…and while it is nice…” the prince trailed off, lowering his eyes to the floor.

Kokichi could sense some hesitation in the other’s tone, tilting his head slightly. “Lemme guess, it gets boring.”

Shuichi raised his golden-grey eyes to meet Kokichi’s, nodding. “That’s an accurate way to describe it.”

Kokichi smirked slightly, “It’s boring up on the surface too! Why do you think I pull pranks all the time?” Shuichi had a blank face like he really wasn’t sure, so he continued. “To make things interesting and have fun, of course!”

The prince only looked more confused, “To make things interesting and...have fun?” he repeated questioningly.

The fisher lad nodded, “My pranks and lies are all told with good intentions. Of course, what I’m saying now could be a lie, so it’s up to you on whether you believe me or not!” He grinned before turning away. Something about his voice now changing to be more serious, while still having that smile in his tone. “Life’s too short to be a stick in the sand. I, for one, think it’s *much* more interesting to take the stick and draw something in the sand – then use that idea to build something even greater…!”

The Sea Prince kept his eyes on the back of the other’s head. While Ouma Kokichi could be an enigma to talk to, the things he did say had meaning – even if they weren’t always made clear.

“You’ve got a nice way of thinking too, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi replied, a small smile on his face. “To fully answer your question from earlier…I find you intriguing.”

Kokichi was surprised to hear the prince go back to his original question, turning slightly so he could look at him over his shoulder.

"You are…” the prince continued, seemingly trying to search for the right words. His father always loved to analyze humans as a species, but Shuichi was best at analyzing one’s actions. “Confusing at times…and playful…but not immature. You joke around and tease others, but seem to know when to stop.” Shuichi met his gaze evenly, “As you said, you want what’s best for the world. I believe you’re a true hero, Ouma-kun."

The way the prince’s calm voice explained his opinion on Kokichi made the fisherman’s heart beat a little faster. He would never admit it, but the young prince was very good at judging character. He had never had anyone explain his actions in such a way – everyone typically focused on the prankster front he showed the world, not the intentions lying beneath the surface.

However, it was no good.

A sly grin appeared on his face as he finally turned his body around to face him. “Gee, you must reeeally like me to pay *that* much attention to every little thing I’ve done here! Too bad it’s wrong~”

Shuichi widened his eyes at his comment, a blush once again appearing on his cheeks. “W-wrong? What do you mean?”

“I’ll let you in on a little secret, prince charming~” Kokichi said, moving closer to the other so he was only mere inches from Shuichi’s face.

“I’m no hero. I have *never* been a hero. But if your magical little kingdom wants to remember me that way…then who am I to stop them~?”

The prince’s mouth was open slightly, his face heating up at having the other so close to him. The smooth way he replied had turned darker towards the end, both frightening and exciting Shuichi at the same time.

Kokichi backed off, the dark expression now replaced with his usual cheery one. “On that note! Shouldn’t we be getting back to the party? Don’t want that inventor thinking anything dirty!” He turned and began heading back towards the hall the feast was being held in, leaving a still-confused prince behind.

The darkness he had seen on Kokichi’s face…held the dark side of humanity so many in the kingdom had feared. Yet…that wasn’t what had frightened him. It was the words he had uttered. 

_“I’m no hero. I have *never* been a hero.”_

"That’s a lie, Ouma-kun…” The prince said quietly after watching the other disappear back into the hall. He then smiled weakly, feeling like he had somehow come to understand the human even more. “You are a hero, and here, you will always be remembered as one.”

 

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

“Thank you, but I have to get home,” Kokichi said, bowing his head while standing in front of the king and queen. The feast had ended not long ago, the royals having asked to speak with Kokichi shortly after. It was then that they had made an offer for Kokichi to stay in the kingdom.

“Are you positive...?” The Sea Queen replied, “Here there is no sickness, no danger, no negativity…you will live a long, healthy life, without any burdens or turmoil...”

Prince Shuichi was standing behind Kokichi, feeling a sting of pain in his stomach at the other’s denial to stay with them. He had grown rather fond of the human and had come to enjoy the time they had spent together. After his concern from their earlier conversation, he had spoken to his parents during the feast and let them know that he thought Kokichi could benefit from staying in the kingdom, as Rantaro had.

While Kokichi appreciated the offer, he knew he couldn’t leave his life on the surface. He had grown up on the island; he knew everyone there. He wasn’t upset with his life – he enjoyed helping the fishermen and playing pranks, even if they weren’t well received.

“I’m sure,” he responded. “While it’s really cool down here, I belong up there.”

“Ouma-kun…” Shuichi spoke up, wanting to tell him that here people would appreciate him. They would acknowledge him for his pure heart and accept his playful pranks without animosity. He could do so much for the kingdom and receive even more in return.

The purple-haired boy turned slightly so he could look at Shuichi, while not completely turning away from the king and queen. Just seeing the concerned frown on his face made Kokichi feel a pit grow in his stomach. “What’s the long face for, Shuichi?”

“You don’t have to feel like it’s a burden for you to stay here. We have plenty of resources to make you comfortable – you’ll never grow old or feeble. You’ll be safe and happy, I promise you…” The words flowed out of the prince’s mouth, trying to give as many reasons as he could for the other to stay. He found himself thinking that it was selfish of him to try so hard to convince him to, though he couldn’t help it. At the end of the day, it was Ouma’s decision.

The fisher lad merely smiled back at him, “I bet I would be. But I have a home to go back to…the fishermen on the boat need my help – if I don’t get back soon, they’ll give my job away to someone else! And to be honest, I’m the best one for the job.” He grinned even more.

“Then it appears you have made your decision, Ouma Kokichi…” The king spoke, bowing his head slightly before lifting his head, “You may bring it in, Yumeno-san.”

The young mage entered the room, carrying in her hands a small turquoise box. “Nyeh…here it is, my king.” She said, handing the box over to him with a bow of her head before stepping back to stand beside Kokichi. The boy was looking at the box curiously.

“If you wish to return to the surface, we will respect that choice. However…,” Korekiyo said, holding out the box. “You must take this parting gift with you.”

Kokichi tilted his head slightly, looking at the small box. It seemed simple, which made him wonder what could be inside. He had already received so much from the kingdom during his stay, that it almost didn’t seem right to take a gift – but it didn’t seem like he was being given an option, either.

"Before you begin wondering, this box is the tamate-bako. Inside is something…very precious,” The king stated, his yellow eyes peering seriously at Kokichi. “However, you must never open it…no matter what happens.” His tone seemed as ominous as ever.

Kokichi was confused – they were giving him a gift he could never open? “What would happen if I did…?” he asked, glancing from the box and over to the royals.

Tsumugi stepped forward and took Kokichi’s hands in hers. “Something dreadful would happen to you! You must promise us that you will never open the box,” she said, her simple voice unwavering.

Kokichi wondered what the purpose of giving him such a gift was, though he was not rude enough to deny it. He nodded his head, “Alright, I promise.” He replied, accepting the box from the king once Tsumugi let go.

Shuichi stayed silent during the exchange, his mouth a small frown. If Kokichi had made the decision to leave, then nothing more he could say would change that…even if it hurt.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

“Thank you, guys, for making this visit so much fun!” Kokichi said, after having arrived at the gate on Aldabra’s back. The royal family, as well as Himiko and Kaito, had seen him over to the gate for his departure, while the rest of the kingdom’s people had waved and said their goodbyes in a parade thrown in his honor as he headed out of the palace.

“It’s been a pleasure hosting such an intelligent and well-spirited human,” The king responded, the queen nodding in agreement.

Himiko stepped forward and bowed her head, “I will forever be grateful for your act of saving Aldabra, Ouma-kun,” the mage said. “I wish you lots of happiness on the surface.”

Kokichi smiled at the royals and nodded at Himiko, “Thank you.”

Kaede stepped forward next, bowing her head. “It was very enjoyable showing you our kingdom. We hope your memories of our kingdom and its people will stay present within you no matter how much time passes by.”

“Yeah, remember us up there, Ouma!” Kaito chimed in, a grin on his face. “I’ll visit you one day, and see for myself what’s true of the things you told me!”

“Nee-heehee, I don’t think I’d ever forget a place like this. You know who to look for, if you ever do have a chance to visit my island,” The fisher lad replied. His violet eyes then moved to rest on the final person there to see him off.

Prince Shuichi’s golden-grey hues met Kokichi’s, a melancholic expression on his face. He had been dreading this moment since the fisherman had denied the offer to stay. He had tried his best to appear presentable during the parade, however it was hard for him to smile genuinely.

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, this was it. Ouma Kokichi, the human he had found so intriguing and enjoyed spending time with, was going back to the surface.

_A surface where he wasn’t appreciated by his own kind._

As he stared at the other, he realized he needed to speak. It was his turn and he hadn’t even gone over what he wanted to say! The prince opened his mouth slightly, clearing his throat and walking forward, “Ouma-kun…I’m…as well as our kingdom, are honored to have had the opportunity to meet and spend time with you. You’ve offered more insight into humans and have shown us that goodness still exists up on the surface.”

If Kokichi couldn’t see it on the prince’s face, he could hear it in his voice that the other was trying his best to remain positive. While Kokichi was smiling, saying goodbye to all of the friends he had made there was hard on him too. The young fisherman opened his mouth to reply, however before he could speak, the prince moved to stand even closer to the tortoise and Kokichi.

“Thank you for being honest with me,” Shuichi spoke a little quieter, so that the others couldn’t hear. He met the other’s gaze, “You’re a hero, Ouma-kun. To Aldabra, our kingdom, and the surface…whether they see it or not.” Kokichi blinked back at the other as he finished speaking, “Don’t ever forget that.”

The fisherman was at a loss of words for a moment – the prince once again catching him by surprise with his ability to understand things he didn’t say. With a slight blush on his cheeks, the boy smiled and nodded at Shuichi, “Thank you, prince charming. Don’t miss me too much, okay~?”

With that, Aldabra started the journey back towards the surface. Everyone shouted goodbyes and waved as the two gradually got farther and farther away. The prince kept his eyes on them as long as he could, a faint blush remaining on his cheeks from the boy’s final request to him.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

During the trip back to the surface, Kokichi’s thoughts were on all of the memories he had made in the kingdom. He felt sad to be leaving his new friends behind, but deep down he knew he was needed up on the surface. It wouldn’t have been right to leave without saying goodbye to everyone there.

It was an experience he never would have thought possible to have. So many people in the kingdom had cheered for him – back home he was more likely to hear groans of annoyance after he played one of his pranks. He supposed that’s what the prince had figured out…

He could still see the pleading expression on Shuichi’s face as he tried to convince him to stay in the kingdom. However, no matter how sad it was, he couldn’t abandon those he knew on the surface. Like he had told Shuichi earlier, it was his job to try and make the surface a nicer place – even if no one else saw it that way.

Before long, the tortoise rose and broke through to the surface, swimming over to a side shore that was away from the public, so they wouldn’t be seen coming in. The fisher lad got off of the tortoise and thanked it for the journey, while the other thanked him once again for his heroic act. Then, Kokichi stood on the beach as the tortoise turned back and dove down into the depths of the ocean once again.

Turning around, he breathed in the familiar scent of the island shore before stepping through the sand on his way back to the main beach. Kokichi couldn’t wait to see all of the familiar faces he had missed – he would have to apologize to the other fishermen for disappearing. They probably just thought it was another prank of his, anyway.

As he neared the east side of the island, he suddenly heard many different voices. The beach must have been crowded – were tourists holding a party?

That’s what he thought, anyway – but as he got closer, the once familiar beach now looked very different from the one he had left a day earlier.

The sounds of screaming and laughing children mingled with the scent of fried food that was typically found at a festival – but it wasn’t festival season. A look of confusion only grew more on the young fisherman’s face as he started running towards the commotion.

What he saw made his eyes widen as he skidded to a stop. Before him, instead of the usual beach full of tourists and fishermen, were children running around and playing with balloons in their hands. 

Behind them, instead of the familiar huts of seafood markets and the hustle-bustle of fishermen returning from their days out on the ocean, were ginormous contraptions made of metal that were moving and seemed to have people in carts on them.

“Wh-what…” Kokichi said quietly as he turned his head to and fro, taking in the very different setting. It was as if he had landed on another island completely!

He walked closer to what appeared to be the entrance to the place that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere – above was an arch that read “Monokuma Park.”

What was this…? It couldn’t be his island! As he continued looking around, he suddenly spotted an old half-rotted wooden sign, nearly hidden by perfectly trimmed hedges in the shape of a bear.

Wandering closer, what Kokichi saw made his heart fill with dread: 

_Jab—rw-ck Isl—d.  
_

Quite a few letters could no longer be made out, but Kokichi knew what it had previously read – Jabberwock Island, the place he had grown up.

The fisher lad didn’t know what to think. The letters and wood on the sign had looked pristine yesterday – how could it appear so dilapidated when he had just been away a day?

That was when he realized he needed to find the one landmark he needed to see to prove this was really his island – his home. However, to do so it seemed like he would have to enter this…Monokuma Park.

Kokichi walked towards the entrance, where he saw a very pale person with spiky hair standing in front of, with some authority in his expression. His whole outfit seemed to be made of metal – not the best thing to wear on a sunny beach. Who was this guy?

“Ticket, please,” they suddenly said, aqua colored eyes looking into Kokichi’s as he held out a hand.

A confused look grew on the boy’s face, “Ticket? I’m just trying to get to my house,” he said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me-“ he attempted to move past the other.

"Halt! No one may enter Monokuma Park without first purchasing a ticket,” the other said, blocking his way with his arm.

“I don’t need a ticket – I live here, not even a 5 minute walk away..!” Kokichi argued back at the other, before realizing something. “Wait a minute…nee-heehee, you got me good!”

“Excuse me?” The other said, clearly not understanding.

Kokichi looked around, expecting his fellow fishermen to pop out of nowhere, laughing at him for pranking him so severely. “Where are they? This was payback for all the times I pranked them, right? I don’t know how they managed to do all this, but…wow!”

“I do not understand what you are referring to. However, I assure you, it will not convince me to let you enter without a ticket,” The male replied. “Please purchase a ticket from the ticket kiosk and then you may enter.”

“Nice try, but I’ve had a long trip and want to get some rest at home,” Kokichi said, before attempting to slip past the other – only for a loud alarm to sound, nearly splitting Kokichi’s ear drums as he covered his ears and stumbled back out onto the beach.

The sound seemed to be coming from the person who refused to let him enter – he put his wrist up towards his mouth, “We’ve got a code red,” he spoke into his wrist, making Kokichi even more confused before a girl and boy in suits appeared from behind a door, heading straight over to Kokichi and the siren.

“Another degenerate trying to break the rules, I see,” The female said as they arrived, crossing her arms. “How hard is it for males to understand that you can’t get anything for free in this world?”

“Chabashira-san, both Hoshi-san and I are males. Your statement seems far too narrow-minded-“ The guy in metal started, the siren having ended once they arrived. He was cut off shortly after by the shorter male.

“What’s the issue here, K1-B0?” Hoshi spoke up, his voice deep and seeming to carry a lot of weight in his words.

“Ah- yes. This boy here claims his home is within Monokuma Park, however, that is, of course, a lie,” K1-B0 replied, gesturing to Kokichi. The two suited ones turned their hars gazes on Kokichi, who wanted to flinch back as fear started to creep in from the situation not getting any better.

“I-It’s not a lie! I swear, my name is Ouma Kokichi and I’m a fisherman here on Jabberwock Island – my house is right up on a hill just a few minutes from here!” Kokichi said, knowing this was no time for jokes.

The three suddenly exchanged looks before Hoshi nodded at K1-B0, who brought his wrist up to his mouth once again, “We’ve got a code purple.”

“Code…purple..?” Kokichi managed to say, not liking the looks on the other’s faces and taking a step back.

“Look, kid, we give you points for bringing back a classic. No one’s cosplayed Ouma in quite some time,” Hoshi replied.

“Cos…played…?” The boy said, not having heard such a word before.

“The story of the prankster Ouma who previously lived on Jabberwock island is now more than two hundred years old,” Kiibo spoke up. “All written records have been destroyed.”

"Which means…you’ll need to forget as well,” Hoshi-san said, reaching into his pocket to pull out a pair of handcuffs.

Kokichi’s eyes widened, not knowing what exactly they meant – how could there be a story about himself? And how was it two hundred years old!? He was only gone a day! “N-no, I…I’ve got to get home..!”

Before the others could react, Kokichi turned and started running away. He could hear them call out for him to stop, but the boy kept pushing through the sand as he ran as far away from them and Monokuma Park as he could.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

The boy had kept running for quite some time, staying along the sand dunes to hide if needed. Tears streamed down his cheeks, drying from the air rushing by him as he ran. Once it seemed like he had lost them, the boy stopped to rest against a rock.

He had passed familiar sights of his home island; however, every face was unrecognizable, and every place was broken beyond repair. It really was as if the home he had known had disappeared overnight.

Putting his head down, the boy tried to fight back even more tears at the thought that everyone he knew was gone. They had said he was from a story…over two hundred years ago…? That would mean…everyone he did know, was long gone…

“If the kingdom was a dream, then this feels like a nightmare…” Kokichi murmured to himself, staring at his hands. He tried pinching himself – but to his dismay, he remained where he was.

Stuck in a place that he didn’t understand, surrounded by sights he didn’t recognize and with people who didn’t recognize him. It was as if he never existed to begin with.

It was then that he felt the presence of something in his pocket. Reaching his hand in, he pulled out the turquoise box the king had given him as a parting gift.

His violet eyes gazed upon the simple treasure, seemingly sparkling. A dash of magic in a magicless world – a symbol of hope. His eyes lifted to gaze at the ocean, colorful rays of the slowly setting sun reflecting beautifully off the relatively calm surface.

“The kingdom…if I can return…” he suddenly said, getting up from the rock and slowly walking over to the shoreline. He looked at the water, slowly moving towards the sandy shore before pulling away.

Unfortunately, the boy knew that returning was impossible without the help of magic. His eyes drifted down to the gift he had been given – holding it in front of him. The sparkling box had an aura of magical energy surrounding it.

“…The king and queen told me that this box holds something precious inside…and that I should never open it. Something precious…” he repeated, putting it closer to his face so he could try and guess what that might be.

The boy had told them that he needed to return home – that he couldn’t stay with them in the kingdom. Perhaps…

His violet hues widened as a thought hit his mind. “That…that must be it!” the boy exclaimed, “This box must hold the magical key to bring me back to the kingdom…! Since I told them I couldn’t stay, that must be why they told me not to open it!”

It made perfect sense to the boy – while he needed to break his promise, he believed in his heart that this was the right thing to do. After all, he had nothing left here holding him back. And so…he decided to open the box.

The ribbon wasn’t easy to untie, however Ouma was a clever boy and had no trouble unraveling it. With wonder on his face, the young fisherman lifted the lid of the turquoise box. And what did he find?

A small purple cloud arose from the box in a few soft wisps. For a moment it covered his face before surrounding his whole body, a tingling sensation overcoming the boy. Was this some sort of transportation magic, about to whisk him off to the kingdom…? The boy couldn’t help smiling at the thought of seeing the familiar faces of the kingdom, and one prince in particular, again—

_However, that would never happen._

Ouma Kokichi, who had up until that moment been a young boy with aspirations to make the world a better place by pranking others, suddenly felt disconnected. He couldn’t control his body as his legs wobbled and his knees buckled, sending him down onto the sandy shoreline.

With wide tear-filled eyes, he felt the tingling sensation overcome him to the point where he closed his eyes to try and escape it – a sudden sense of weightlessness making him open them not long after.

And what he saw, made the boy want to scream – yet, he couldn’t.

Ouma Kokichi was gazing down at his own body sprawled out on the sand…dead.

He was no longer human, but a spirit lost without a home.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

Deep below the surface, many, many depths and a great distance from the old Jabberwock Island, a magical kingdom continued to thrive. Time had passed since the young fisher lad had left the gates to return home. However, he was not forgotten.

A young prince stood in a section of the kingdom, head turned upward as his golden-grey eyes gazed upon a new addition to the coral garden – a shimmering statue made of the rarest form of pearl.

A tribute to a hero, but more importantly, a friend.

The melancholy prince said nothing as he watched the light rays reflect beautifully off of the model as it stood with its arms outstretched. Yonaga-san had done an excellent job, as usual, sculpting an effigy of the beloved visitor. The glistening Alexandrite gems she had used for the human’s eyes nearly captured the lively playfulness that had typically been present. However, her masterpiece could never replicate what truly made someone unique – their soul.

It was Ouma Kokichi’s soul that made the boy who he was. Every aspect of his personality – from the silly banter he made, to the more serious emotions he kept hidden beneath the surface…the prince admired them all.

Ouma Kokichi was human – a flawed species. One that thrives off of ignorance, hatred and despair. However, despite that being the case, there are still gems to be found among the rubble.

“How are you holding up?” A calm, yet concerned voice asked from behind Shuichi. The prince didn’t need to turn around to know that it was another gem of humankind speaking – Amami Rantaro.

He shook his head slightly, not having the words to explain what was on his mind. How he had been feeling since he last saw Ouma fade out of sight after leaving the kingdom…

A pit had formed in his stomach...

One that carried a very bad feeling along with it.

Amami could sense it too. Stepping forward, he stood beside the prince and trained his eyes on statue of the fisher lad as well.

Words weren’t needed to explain what the prince was feeling – what he knew inside.

That humans were a flawed species that made mistakes.

And unfortunately, no matter the intention, one small decision can lead to a tragic end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this story! While it was a sad ending, we had to stay in line with the original tale's ending for the challenge. However, we were dabbling with the idea of an alternate ending or prequel... ;) What were your feelings on the ending? Would you have preferred a different one for our young fisher lad? Let us know by leaving a comment! Thank you! ~Ghostie


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